Organic Gemstones
Whether something is organic or not has become a prominent matter of discussion in recent times. Even when it comes to gemstones, people ask: are minerals organic? Are gemstones organic? The answer is simple. They can be, but they may be different from what you expect.
What are Organic Gemstones?
When people hear "organic," they might think of something entirely natural with no additives. That might make sense for food and such, but for gemstones, one might think that might mean it's not artificial and has no color treatment or alterations.
That is different from how most people define organic gemstones. Natural materials like stones or minerals in jewelry or décor are natural gemstones. What kind of organic gemstones count, then? Jet, Ivory, Amber, Pearls, Ammolite, and Coral are the most common.
Jet is ultimately derived from old, decaying, and fossilized plant matter and wood; Amber is fossilized tree resin; Ivory is (usually) from tusks; Pearls are materials formed by mollusks; and Ammolite is a fossilized shell.
This means there is no ambiguity about the nature of organic stones. They aren't artificial and cannot be debated or argued as such. Each of them have been crafted and produced by Earth herself, and that makes them very unique!
However, are they safe from clarity and color treatments? Do people modify them regularly?
Gem Treatments
Many gemstones are treated in some way, even if it doesn't appear like they are. Often, these enhance the color or clarity of the stone to make them more marketable. But this begs the question: is amber treated?
Yes, amber can be subject to heat treatment to enhance its color. Again, stuff like this is typical. We could not find much on the same treatment being applied to Jet or Ammolite, but Pearls may undergo treatment for enhancement.
If you are worried about buying something that has been treated or enhanced in some way, you may find it challenging to find those that haven't. This is because it's something done before it has been marketed and sold, not just to you but to suppliers.
The Wrap-Up
When many people hear "gemstone," they think of the common minerals and stones. But others keep people guessing, like Jet or Amber. We do get asked often what exactly Ammolite, Jet, and Amber are and we hope this blog clears some things up!
Sources
https://www.gia.edu/amber
https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2014-wang-heat-treatment-of-baltic-amber
https://www.gemsociety.org/article/pearl-treatments/